Buckle for reversible belts



Dec. 23, 1958 w. H. MEEKER 4.

BUCKLE FOR REVERSIBLE BELTS Filed Sept 8, 1952 INVENTOR Vl z'llz'am H Meeker BY MPZY ATTORNEYS United "States Patent BUCKLE FOR REVERSIBLE BELTS William H. Meeker, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Hickok Manufacturing Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 8, 1952, Serial No. 308,320 19 Claims. or. 24 1ss The present invention relates to improvements in buckles for apparel belts and more particularly relates to a buckle for reversible belts.

In the prior art, considerable eife'ct has been expended toward the end that a buckle would be provided for use in combination with reversible apparel belts, that is, in belts wherein opposing faces are finished for wearing either side out. In many instances, the buckle must be detached from the belt and the belt reversed relative thereto. In another instance, a spring loaded tongue has been provided so as to be adapted to be snapped to either side of the front bar. a v

Insofar as I am aware, the teachings of the prior art are deficient in the disclosure of a buckle that can be permanently attached to a reversible belt and yet which will give similar appearance and similar functioning regardless of which face of the belt is exposed and yet which obviates the necessity of such expensive constructions as spring pressed tongues and the like.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved buckle for reversible belts which can be permanently attached to such a belt and employed therewith regardless of which belt face is exposed and wherein like appearance and functioning exist although the belt is in a reversed relationship for usage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved buckle for permanent attachment to reversible belts, which buckle embodies a minimum of relatively movable parts and yet which will as effectively hold the free end of a belt when the same has one face exposed as when the opposite face is exposed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved buckle for reversible belts which is exceedingly simple in construction and, therefore, facile of manufacture as well as inexpensive and which is easily manipulated by the wearer of the belt when it is desired to reverse the belt.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved buckle and reversible belt permanently at tachedthereto wherein the holding portion for the free end of the belt is reversibly pivotally carried by the belt attachment portion so as to assume either of two positions disposed substantially 180 apart.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved buckle and reversible belt permanently attached thereto and a keeper so associated with the belt as toprovide aloop on either side thereof for retaining cooperation with the free end of a belt regardless of which face of the belt is exposed in use.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best embodiment in which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved buckle, the reversible belt permanently attached thereto and the keeper carried by the belt, the arrangement being for exposure of the black face of the apparel belt;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but wherein the arrangement is reversed to expose the white face of the belt; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the buckle per se, and showing in full lines the buckle arrangement of Fig. 1 and showing by dotted lines the position of the front bar when it is pivoted to the position for reversal of the belt face to'that of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4' is similar to Fig. 3 and shows the buckle arrangement of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken sub stantially along the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is ahorizontal longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 66- of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, attention is directed to Figs. l and 2' wherein the improved buckle 10 of the present invention is shown with the reversible belt 12 permanently secured thereto and the keeper assem-bly I4 associated with the belt 12 located to retain the free end 16 of the belt 12.

Figs. 3- through" 5 show the details of construction of the buckle 10'. The buckle 10 is comprised of a belt attachment portion 18, to which one end of a belt can be permanently attached, and a beltholding portion 20 reversibly, pivotally or swivelly carried by the attachment portion 18 and adapted to adjustably holdthe freeend 16 of the belt 12.

The attachment portion 18 is comprised of a pair of similar side bars 22 and 24 disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation to each other and fixedly connected together by the rear bar 26 which thereby constitutes the bight portion of a substantially U-shaped attachment portion. As shown at 28 and 30, the rear bar 26 is narrower than the side bars 22 and 24 but it will be understood that the side and rear bars can be made of uniform dimensions and either integrally formed as in the drawing or by joining individual elements together. Preferably the side bars are in parallel relationship but here again the arrangement could be such that the side bars either converge or diverge for design purposes. The restriction on the latter variation would be that the free ends 32 and 34 of the side bars must be in the necessary relationship to provide the pivotal mountings for the belt holding portion as will become apparent in the more detailed description to follow.

With further reference to the side bars 22 and 24, it will' be noted that I have provided arcuate edges at 36, 38 and 40, 42. Fig. 6 shows that these edges are so formed as to substantially follow the curve of the edges of the free end 16 of the belt as it passes under the belt holding portion 20 and over the belt attachment portion 18 at the rear bar 26. The free ends 32 and 34 of the sidebars are recessed on their inner surfaces as at 44 and 46- to provide transverse abutments or stops at 48 and 50 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The ends 32 and 34" are also apertured at 52' and 54-.

The belt holding portion 2t) includes a front bar 56 which is ornamentally grooved at 58, although, of course, other ornamentation could be formed therein. or added thereto. For example, the front bar could be jeweled or made in the form of an initial or monogram. The front bar 56 has flanges 6t and 62 integrally formed therewith and extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom at its ends 64 and 66. The flanges 60 and 62 are inwardly tapered from the width of the end edges 64 and 66 of the front bar so as to provide converging edges as at 68 and 70 on the flange 60. The edges 68 and 70 are joined by the rounded edge '72. Each of the flanges 60 and 62 '80, outwardly of the free ends of the side bars.

is apertured as at 74. A pair of pins 76 and 78 are engaged through the juxtaposed apertures of the flanges and free ends of the side bars with their headed ends, as at The inner ends, as at 32, are peened over to swivelly or pivotally carry the front bar. As will be readily understood, the front bar can assume the relationship of Figs. 1 and 3 with the edge 68 of the flange 60 abutting the stop 48 and the corresponding edge abutting the stop 50,- or it can assume the relationship of Figs. 2 and 4 with the edge 70 abutted against the stop 48 and the corresponding edge on the flange 62 abutted against the stop 50, wherein the front bar has been displaced approximately 180. It will be noted, however, that the taper of the edges and rounding of the flanges is such as to provide clearance for pivoting of the front bar and it is the portion of the flange edges adjacent the front bar edges 64 and 66 that actually abuts the stops. Thus the front bar is reversibly pivoted between the positions as shown and the back face 84 of the front bar is substantially in the plane of the edges 36, 40 adjacent the free ends in one position and in the plane of the edges 38, 42 adjacent the free ends of the side bars in the other position.

Medially of the back face 84 of the front bar is a tongue or stud 86 which perpendicularly extends therefrom. The tongue or stud 86 is formed with flattened substantially parallel sides 88 and 90 and has a head 92 which is elongated longitudinally of the buckle so as to provide overhanging portions at 94 and 96.

The reversible belt 12 is comprised of two layers of leather, one layer 98 being colored black and the other layer 100 being colored white, and the two layers are secured together as by stitching 102. A plurality of apertures 104 of elongated form similar to the head 92 are formed adjacent the free end of the belt 16. As seen best in Fig. 6, the double thickness comprised of the two layers terminates at 106 and only one layer is folded about the rear bar 26. The folded over portion 108 is secured to the two layers by the stitching 110, 111.

The keeper assembly 14 includes an enclosed ring 112 of substantially rectangular shape and a loop forming keeper element 114 reciprocably or slidably carried by the ring 112. The ring is disposed between the two layers and held in position by cementing or adhesively securing the layers together at 113 and by transverse stitching as at 115. The ring is of greater width than the belt and thereby provides openings at each side of the belt through which side portions 116 frictionally extend. It will be seen that the keeper element can be in the position of Fig. l or shifted to the position of Fig. 2

so as to provide a belt retaining loop at either side of the belt. A more detailed description of construction of the keeper assembly 14 is made in my copending application Serial No. 309,227, filed September 12, 1952, now Patent No. 2,686,920, August 24, 1954.

In view of the foregoing the manner in which the buckle and belt is employed in use will be readily apparent. Of course, the one end of the belt is permanently secured or attached to the rear bar 26. If the black face of the belt is to be exposed, the front bar 84 is pivoted to the relationship of Fig. 3, or if the White face is to be exposed, the front bar is pivoted from that position to the dotted line position of Fig. 3 or full line position of Fig. 4. The free end of the belt is inserted behind the front bar and over the rear bar as shown in Fig. 1, and the tongue or stud is engaged in a selected opening or aperture 104, the overhang of the head of the tongue or stud serving to prevent accidental displacement therefrom. The free end 16 is then engaged in the opening provided by the keeper element 114. Of course, when the white face of the belt is to be exposed, the keeper element is slidably moved to provide the opening as shown in Fig. 2.

While the belt described is made of leather of two colors and stitched together, it will be realized that other colors, designs, materials, and modes of securing the two layers together can be employed. For example, a plastic could be employed for one face and a leather for the opposite face, the two layers being bonded together in a conventional fashion.

I claim:

1. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free end portions in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion reversibly pivotally carried by and forming the sole connection between said free end portions of said bars and embodying a body having an inner belt opposing face and a belt engaging member on said face and lying inwardly of and between the free end portions of said bars.

2. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free end portions in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion pivotally carried by and forming the sole connection between said free end portions of said side bars and movable between two positions displaced approximately apart so as to allow the said holding portion to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt and said belt holding portion embodying a body having an inner belt opposing face and a belt engaging member on said face and lying inwardly of and between the free end portions of said bars.

3. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side bars at common ends so as to maintain the free other ends of the bars in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion reversibly, pivotally carried by the free ends of said side bars, said belt holding portion including a front bar having a pair of flanges extending at substantially right angles therefrom at the ends thereof and a substantially medially disposed tongue extending perpendicularly from the belt opposing side of said front bar, means pivotally joining said flanges to the free ends of said side bars, and means on the side bars positioned for engagement by edges of the flanges for limiting the pivoting movement of said front bar between two positions disposed substantially 180 apart so as to dispose the front bar in position to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt.

4. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar rigidly joining the side bars at common ends and maintaining the free ends in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion reversibly, pivotally mounted on the free ends of said side bars, said belt holding portion including a front bar having a pair of flanges extending at substantially right angles therefrom at the ends thereof and a substantially medially disposed tongue extending perpendicularly from the belt opposing side of said front :bar, means pivotally joining said flanges to the free ends of said side bars, and means for limiting the pivoting movement of said front bar between two positions disposed substantially 180 apart, said last recited means including a pair of abutments formed on said side bars against which said flanges are engageable, whereby the front bar can be moved to a position so as to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt.

5. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar rigidly joining the side bars at common ends and maintaining the free ends in spaced relationship, a

V belt holding member reversibly, pivotally coupled to and between the free ends of said side bars, means for securing a free end portion" of a belt to the belt holding member in either of it's reversed positions, and means for limiting the pivoting movement of said belt holding member between two positions disposed substantially 180 apart, said last recited means including a pair of abutment shoulders formed on the inner faces of said side bars for engagement by the belt holding member whereby the holdings portion can be moved to a position to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt.

6. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and for functioning with a reversible belt comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side barsat common ends so as to maintain the other and free end portions in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion comprising a single elongate member pivotally connected at its ends to and forming the sole connection between saidv free end portions of said side bars, said elongate member being completely reversible with respect to the side bars to present one side face outwardly on either side of the buckle, saidholding portion including a belt engaging element on the other side face of the elongate member and located in either reversed position of the elongate member inwardly of and between the-free end portions of the side bars.

7.- A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and for functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of longitudinal side bars and an end bar fixedly joining. the longitudinal bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free ends of the longitudinal bars in spaced relationship, said longitudinal bars having an appreciable width in the front to back direction of the buckle and further having front and back edge faces, the belt securing portion embodying a single bar having a thickness materially less than the said width of the longitudinal bars and a length approximating the distance between said free ends of the longitudinal bars, said single bar having an inner face adapted to' lie across and in opposed relation with either reversed side of abelt andan opposite outer face, means coupling the ends of saidsingle bar to the free ends of said longitudinal barswhereby the single bar is movable across the width of the longitudinal bars to either of two belt securing positions where the belt opposing inner face will lie approximately in, plane with two adjacent edge faces of the longitudinal bars, and means carried upon the said belt opposing inner face of the single bar for coupling the latter with a free end of a belt extending between the free ends of the longitudinal bars.

8-. Theinvention according to claim 7 wherein the said means coupling the free ends of said single bar to the longitudinal bars is pivotal and the axis of the pivot is perpendicular to the longitudinal bars and lies in a plane passing through the longitudinal center of the width of the bars.

9. The invention according to claim 7 wherein the last means comprises a short stud having a length less than the width of the longitudinal bars and disposed in the longitudinal center of the said single bar and in perpendicular relation therewith.

10. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and for functioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of longitudinal side bars and an end bar fixedly joining the longitudinal bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free ends of the longitudinal bars in spaced relationship, said longitudinal bars having an appreciable width in the front to back direction of the buckle and further having front and back edge faces, the belt securing portion embodying a single bar having a thickness materially less than the said width of the longitudinal bars and a length approximating the distance between said free ends of the longitudinal bars, said single bar having an inner belt opposing face and an outer face, means couplingthe ends of said single bar to the free ends of said" longitudinal bars whereby the single bar is movable across the width of the longitudinal bars to either of two belt securing positions in which the belt opposing face will lie approximately in the plane of two adjacent edge faces of the longitudinal bar's,v and means carried upon the said belt opposing face of the single bar for coupling the latter with a free end of a belt extending between the free endsof the longitudinal bars, said last means comprising a short stud disposed in the longitudinal center of the said single bar and in perpendicular relationtherewith, said stud having. a length less than the said width of the longitudinal bars.

11'. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and for functioning with reversible beltscomprising a belt attachment portion consisting oflongitudinal side bars and an end bar fixedly joining the longitudinah bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free" ends of the longitudinal bars in spaced relationship, said longitudinal bars having an appreciable width in the front to back direction of the buckle and further having front and back edge faces, the belt securing portion embodying a single bar having a thickness materially less than the said width of the longitudinal bars and a length approximating. the distance between said free ends of the longitudinal bars, said single bar having an inner belt opposing face and an outer face, means coupling the ends of said single bar to the free ends of said longitudinal bars whereby the single bar is movable across the width of the longitudinal bars to eitherof two belt securing positions in which the belt opposing face will lie approximately in the plane of two adjacent edge faces of the 1011- gitudinal bars, and means carried upon the said belt opposing face of the single bar for cou ling the latter with a freeend of a belt extending between the free ends of the longitudinal bars, said means coupling the ends of said single bars to the free ends of the longitudinal bars comprising. a right angularly disposed ear upon each end of said single bar positioned against aside face of a longitudinal bar and a pivot member passing through each ear and the adjacent longitudinal bar, said pivot members being positioned on the longitudinal centers of the longitudinal bars.

12. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said means coupling the ends of said single bars to the free ends of the longitudinal bars comprises a right angularl-y disposed ear upon each end of said single bar positioned against a side face of a longitudinal bar and a pivot member passing through each ear and the adjacent longitudinal bar, said pivot members being positioned on the longitudinal centers of the longitudinal bars, and the said means carried upon the said belt opposing face of the single bar comprises ashort stud disposed at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse centers of said single bar and in substantially perpendicular relation to the single bar and having its free end located approximately on the turning axes of the pivot members.

13. A buckle for reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion to which one end of a belt can be attached, and a belt holding portion pivotally carried by and embodying a part offset from the pivot axis and spanning said attachment portion and movable between two positions displaced approximately apart and including a belt engaging means, said belt engaging means being located between the pivots for the belt holding portion and with a part thereof substantially in the axis through the pivots when in either of its reversed positions.

14. A buckle for reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion to which one end of a belt can be attached, and a holding portion for an apertured end of a belt reversibly, pivotally carried by and spanning said attachment portion, said belt holding portion including a bar paralleling and offset from the pivot axis to lie across the front of a secured belt end with a substantially 7 medially disposed tongue extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and with a portion thereof substantially in the axis through the pivot mountings for the belt holding portion adapted for engagement in one of the apertures of the belt.

15. A buckle for reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion to which one end of a belt can be attached and a holding portion for an apertured end of a belt pivotally carried by said attachment portion and movable between two positions displaced approximately 180 apart, said belt holding portion including a bar paralleling and offset from the pivot axis to lie across the front of a secured belt end with a substantially medially disposed tongue extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and with a portion thereof substantially in the axis through the pivot mountings for the belt holding portion adapted for engagement in one of the apertures of the belt.

16. A buckle for reversible belts comprising a belt attachment frame portion consisting of a pair of spaced side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side bars at common ends and maintaining the opposite ends in free spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion pivotally carried by the said free opposite ends of said side bars and movable between two positions displaced approximately 180 apart, said belt holding portion including a front bar with a substantially medially disposed tongue extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and with a portion thereof substantially on the axis through the pivot mountings for the belt holding portion adapted for engagement in one of the apertures of the belt.

17. A buckle for attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible apparel supporting belts, said buckle comprising a frame embodying a pair of side members and a bar fixedly joining the side members at common ends, the other ends of the side members being in spaced relationship, an elongate connecting member having inner and outer face portions and pivotally coupled at its ends to and carried by the said other ends of said side members, said connecting member between its ends being offset from the pivot axis and movable between two positions displaced approximately 180 apart so as to allow the connecting member to span and function with either reversed side of a reversible belt for maintaining the belt in position with respect to the buckle and with the inner face of the connecting member contacting the adjacent portion of the free end of the belt, and means carried by the buckle for holding the free end of the belt in association with the'buckle.

18. A buckle for permanent attachment to and funcr tioning with reversible belts comprising a belt attachment portion consisting of a pair of side bars and a rear bar fixedly joining the side bars at common ends so as to 8 H V maintain the other and free end portion in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion reversibly, pivotally carried by the free end portions of said side bars, said belt holding portionincluding a front bar with a substantially medially disposed tongue lying inwardly of and between the free end portions of said side bars and extending substantially perpendicularly to the front bar and adapted for engagement in one of the apertures of the belt and the amount of pivotal movement being such as to dispose the front bar across either side of the buckle in position for said tongue to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt, and said tongue when so cooperating with either reversed side of the belt being dircted substantially perpendicularly to said side bars.

19. A buckle for permanent attachment to an end of and functioning with reversible belts comprising a frame providing a belt attachment portion and consisting of a pair of longitudinal bars and an end bar fixedly joining the longitudinal bars at common ends so as to maintain the other and free ends of the longitudinal bars in spaced relationship, and a belt holding portion reversibly, pivotally carried by said free ends of said longitudinal bars, said belt holding portion including a belt face spanning front bar having a pair of flanges extending at substantially right angles therefrom at the ends thereof, and a substantially medially disposed tongue lying inwardly of and between said free ends of the longitudinal bars and the pair of flanges and extending perpendicularly from said front bar, means pivotally joining said flanges to the free ends of said longitudinal bars and the amount of pivotal movement being such as to dispose the front bar in position to cooperate and function with either reversed side of the belt, and said tongue when so cooperating with either reversed side of the belt being directed substantially perpendicularly to said side bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 186,968 Woodruff Feb. 6, 1877 427,776 Maher May 13, 1890 689,119 Pierce Dec. 17, 1901 885,701 Patterson Apr. 21, 1908 1,566,104 Knothe Dec. 15, 1925 1,616,195 Morse Feb. 1, 1927 1,804,990 Jimopolous May 12, 1931 1,814,275 Wirth July 14, 1931 2,186,819 Buchsbaum Jan. 9, 1940 2,197,656 Buchsbaum Apr. 16, 1940 2,257,671 Buchsbaum Sept. 30, 1941 2,676,378 Hornreich Apr. 27, 1954 2,676,379 Hornreich Apr. 27, 1954 2,686,920 Meeker Aug. 24, 1954 2,735,152 Beuchat et al. Feb. 21, 1956 

